Rotary index



March 8, 1932. B. G. RAND ROTARY INDEX Filed Juiy 11, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet l B. G. RAND 1,849,049

ROTARY INDEX Filed July l1, 1950 March 8, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 8, 1932Y BENJAMIN e., RAND, OF

iri'relvfr- OFFICE? NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK,l AssIeNOR To REMINGTON NANDINO., OF BUFFALO, `New Yom; Y

' ROTARY? INDEX f hinged-ly secured theretoa plurality of: in-v dex plates or leaves, any one of which could be brought to .view by rotation of the index plates as a unit with the spindle, and then examined at leisure by rotation or swinging about its ownaxis or hinge.

In largeotfices it is necessary to have a larger number of index cards constantly available for reference :than this type of holder will readily accommodate. Heretofore it has been g necessary to meet-this de- .mand either by providing a large number of 25 units, or making .the units so large that they were unwieldy. In'either event, the installation was costly and vrequired an excessive amount ofloor space. i Theemployment of a single index holder is additionally prefer- 1 able because of operating conditions,'and at times it may be expeditious to have a number opersons simultaneously consulting differentcards in the same unit.

1 The present invention contemplatesv an infor use under' such conditions, and it; comprises, in essence, a pair of spaced spindles or rotatable axes, between'which extend endless Orcontinuousflexible bands having hingedly connected therewith means formounting the severalv plates. The'spindles are disposed a 'sufficient distance apart to provide spacetherebetweenfor' a great number of plates or cards, which extend *outwardly from the continuous bandsand are separated in Order that'anyfone of them may Vswing about! on its individual axis,'to permit inspection at any position about the periphery of theband'.

These and other obj ects and advantages dex-construction which is especially adapted p L ly extending lips 21.

1930.V serieu 110.4117304."

willbecome apparent rfrom a perusal of the tollowlngdescription of a device embodyying the 'prmciplesof the invention, illustrat- YFig. 1 is aperspective view,jca`rds at one end of the device being swung about' their axes of attachment to permit an examination thereof.

`edinthe accompanyingxdrawings wherein:

y.FigA 21s an enlarged vertical section taken .y

through one of thespindles.` i 1 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing means Vintermediate of the spindles for supporting the Vupper` endless member and the means of attaching to the latter the index plates. l v Fig. 4 isaplan .detail of a section-of the endless member and attached index tes; and

modified construction. -V

Asshown in Fig. l, the index comprises a vtable'orbed l10, ofgreater lengththan width, 4uponwhich is disposed, adjacent each end,

Fig. 5 is a view similar` toy Fig. 4, showing a.

a socket or foot bearing 11 threaded to'receive kthe rlower end of a supporting post 12. Sleeves or tubular shafts13 are rotatably mounted on the posts, being supported' at their lower ends by antifriction vthrust'bearings 14. Sprocketsl and 16 are'fixedlyisecured at each end of the shafts by keys 17, and about the ends of and between thesprockets extend the endlessilexible members '18 and 19. These preferably comprise'metal link chains', interfitting with the sprocket teeth, and the klinks thereof having outward- Positioned above and beneath thesprockets Y and 23, thelatter resting on the table 10'and supporting the anti-frictionbearings 14, and the upper plates 2 2 being supported on the shafts 13 and the sprockets Knurled caps 24 are threaded to the upper rod ends tosecure the plates in assembled relation. AS illustrated the cover plates may extend over theV entire area deiined bythe chains, to prevent the ingress of dirt andto venhance the appearance of the device. As'the' plates 22 15 and 16 are cover and supporting plates 22 Y and 23 are of similar construction, one'being inverted from the Iother'in' assembly, the

structure of one only need be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper plate is provided with a channel-way 25 for yenveloping the endless chain 18, each channel-way being formed by an angle member 26 having a horizontalrportion 27, acting in conjunction with a peripheral flange 28 depending from the plate, the flange and the portion 27 being spaced to provide a longitudinal recess for the chain link-extensions 21.

It will be seen that the chainY members are supported intermediate of the sprockets by these channel forming parts, preventing sagging and undue strain thereof, which, inasmuch as the chains are "of relatively great length, is an important provision. The upe per chain 18 will rest directly on the angle portion27 while the Ylower chain 18 will be support-ed by engagement of the extensions 21 on the upstanding flange 28 of the lower plate member. .Y

The index units 8O comprise cards or strips 31 mounted upon panel or plate members 32, which have upper and lower wire extensions "33 and Sel.v These'have respectively upwardly `and downwardly extending end portions for engagement into japertures in the extensions 21 of the upperand lower chain members. As depicted in Fig. 2, the extensions are so spaced that the index unitsmay have a limited vertical movement relative thereto, so that by raising the units the wire extension 34 may be disengaged from the lower chain extensions.

In assembly, the chains 18 and 19 may be threaded through the channel-ways25by temporarily deforming a portion of the flanges 28 or by providing abreak in the flange to form a fitting opening, or by disconnecting certain links. The chains are thus concealed ,from view and dirt by the plate flanges and are. supported and guided intermediate of the sprockets by the flanges in conjunction with'the Vangle members 26. The index units 30 are then mounted .between vertically aligned lips 21'and the device is ready for use. In operation, it will be` found expedient to view the indexes from the narrow end of the table 10 in order to conserve floor space, but if the table is very long lthe indexes may be viewed from the side of the table, as by more than one operator. g

e In the modified chain link construction shown in Fig. 5, the links of chain 40 are provided with enlarged outwardly extending lips 41. Each of these lips have longitudinal slots 42 in which a plurality of index plate extensions are engaged for pivotal and slight longitudinal movement. The slots are of such length that sulllcient clearance is provided between `the index units SOattached to any one extension lip 41, that any one of such plate members may be viewed by moving the plate members engaged in the slots longitudinally and angularly thereof.

`units-connected to the chain.A

`vice described vmay be modified in various structural details, and it is intended that the invention should be commensurate with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. An-index comprising atable having a pair oli-spacedA spindles mounted thereon, a

A.chainextending between the spindles, a ,cover` plate overlying the chain and provided wlth Va depending flange memberyf'or supporting the chain between the spindles,land index 2.7An7index comprising a table having a pair-of spaced spindlesmounted thereon, Asprockets mounted on the spindlesat the ends thereof,'chains extending betweenfthesprockets', lips projecting from the chains and adapted to receive index units, a cover plate overlying the chains, said cover plate being provided with depending flanges forming an envelope around the chain4 and supporting the lweight thereof.

3. An index comprising an elongated table havingspindles mounted at opposite ends thereof, sprockets mounted on opposite ends -of the spindles, chains extending between the sprockets, said chains being vprovided with projecting and aperturedlips formedon the links thereof, index panels formedwith odset pintles hingedly mounted lbetween the lips,'l

a cover Vplate mounted between the spindles and formed with'a depending marginal flange surrounding the chain, and an interior flange betweenthe sprockets supporting the chain, said marginal flange and interior flange being spaced to form an aperture for the projectiontherethrough of said lips.

4. An index comprising a plate having .channels opening at its outer edges, a flexible member movably supported insaid channels,

and index `units hingedly mounted on said flexible members. v

5. In an index, van endless flexible member movable in the path of its periphery, supporting and guiding means for said member, projections on said member having elongated slots, and a plurality of index units having extensions engaged in each of said slots. 1

V6. In an index, spaced channel portions opening outwardly, a wheel mounted adjacent to the ends ofand between said portions, an endless flexible membermounted in said Vchannel portions and in engagement with said wheel, and index units mounted on said flexible member.

30,'lips projecting from the chains beyond the 7. An index comprising a pair of spaced parallel spindles, a pair of spaced sprockets on each spindle, means connecting each pair of sprockets for unitary rotating movement on their respective spindle, a pair of spaced plates each extending between the spindles adjacent each pair of opposite sprockets and mounted on the spindles `to connect the same, guide means oneach plate, chains mounted on and extending between ropposite sprockets and slidably mounted on the guide means fof `the adjacent plate'for supported fparallelA movement relative to each other, spaced mounting means projecting from the chains beyond the guide means, the mounting means on one chain being in alignment with the mounting means on the opposite chain, and

a plurality of index devices each mounted for hinging movement between opposed mounting means.

8. An index comprising a pair ofv spaced parallel spindles, a pair of spaced sprocketsy mounted on each spindle, guide means extending between `the spindles adjacent each pair of opposedv sprockets, chains mounted on and extending between the opposed sprock-v ets and slidably mounted on the adjacent guide means for supported parallel movement relative to each other, spaced recessed L guide means, the lips on one chain being in alignment with the lips on the opposite chain, an index panel between each pair of opposed lips, each panel having oppositely extending pintles, the upper pintle being of greater length than the lower pintle whereby the. pintles of the panel can be mounted between the recesses in opposed lips and be adapted for vertical movement to disengage the lower pintle for removing the panel. l

9. An index comprising a pair of spaced supporting means formed with channels,

lineally movable members in each oi?Y saidVK channels, means controlling operation of said members to secure movement thereof in unison, a plurality of index panels extending between said members, and detachable connections between said panels and members.

10. An index comprising Aa pair of spaced plate members having channels opening at their outer edges, a lineally movable member in each of saidV channels, means controlling said members for operation in unison, and a plurality of index panels extending Y between said members and detachably connected thereto through the openings in said channels.

BENJAMIN G. RAND. 

